The Dinner Guest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judith went to her mailbox and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:

         

        Dear Judith,

        I'm going to be in your neighbor-
        hood this afternoon and I'd like
        to stop by for a visit.

        Love Always,

        Jesus

         

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer." With that thought, Judith remembered her kitchen cabinets had very little contents. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to make a fancy dinner with. And there isn't time to cook much anyhow.. I'll have to run down to the caterer and buy something already prepared for dinner." She reached for her bank and counted out its contents.   Not as much as she would have liked but she could use it for a wonderful dinner. She knew it would leave her almost nothing for the rest of the week. But,  she threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

 

  On her way home, with her treasures under her arm, she heard, "Hey lady, can you help us?"

 

Judith had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed the three figures huddled in the alleyway. A man, a woman, & young girl, all dressed in little more than rags. "Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife, daughter and I have been living out here on the street; and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it."

 

Judith looked at them. They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. I have spent most of my money on this dinner for an important guest tonight."

 

"Yeah, well, OK lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the little girl's shoulders & they all turned and headed back into the alley.

 

As she watched them leave, Judith felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!" The people stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag.

 

"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Judith could see now that she was shivering.

 

"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Judith unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it off as well as the cardigan sweater under it & put the coat over the woman's shoulders, then bundled the child up in the heavy sweater.   Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat or sweater and with nothing to serve her guest.

 

"Thank you lady! Thank you very much!"

 

Judith was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. "That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

 

        Dear Judith,

        It was so good to see you
        again. Thank you for the lovely
        meal. And, thank you, too,
        for the beautiful coat.

        Love Always,

        Jesus

         

The air was still cold, but even without her coat or sweater, Judith no longer noticed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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